KUALA LUMPUR: English marked the highest improvement among other core subjects in the 2019 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations, with a 0.17 Subject Average Grade (GPMP) difference compared to the previous year's results, announced Education director-general Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim today.
The percentage of candidates who got a passing grade in the subject is 80.5 per cent for 2019 SPM compared to 79.4 per cent in the previous year.
Other core subjects – Bahasa Melayu and Moral Education also showed better performance while Islamic Education, History, Mathematics and Science recorded a decline in their percentage compared to 2018.
The examination analysis also recorded a total of 307,445 (78.93 per cent) candidates having mastered two languages by obtaining at least a passing grade in Bahasa Melayu and English.
Habibah pointed out that the results showed 48 out of 83 subjects improved in performance, while 27 subjects recorded a decline.
The other eight subjects were newly introduced last year. She further commented that candidates also did well in 45 out of 68 elective subjects.
Habibah also said the 2019 SPM examination went through benchmarking and quality assurance process at the international level.
“The 2019 SPM examinations involved assessment experts from Cambridge International Education Assessment, United Kingdom; Victoria Curriculum and Assessment Authority, Australia; and Pearson, United Kingdom.
“The involvement is to provide recognition for SPM in terms of its qualification as it is equivalent to the O-Level examinations."
The Education Ministry has carried out various efforts to improve English language proficiency among Malaysian students.
Among the most notable is the English Language Education Reform in Malaysia: The Roadmap 2015-2025 - a 10-year reform plan to improve English language education in Malaysia.
The roadmap adopts the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which represents the international standard for describing and measuring language proficiency at each stage of education.
The move has led to changes in curriculum, teaching and learning, and assessment.
